Improvement in horseshoe-machines



4.- Sheets-Sheet 1.

C. BRIGGS. HORSESHOE MACHINE.

Patented. July 18, 187-6 4 Sheets -Sheet 3.

c. BRIGGS;

H'ORSESHOE MACHINE. Nq.179,997. m

ented July 18, -1876.

XIIIVBIPJIDP 4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

C. BRIGGS. HDRSESHO E MACHINE. No.179, 997. Patented Ju1y18, 1876.

Fig.8

0&225 43 XI'IVEBIIJ; or

NPEI'ERS. PHOTO-LITHOGRAFHER, WASHINGYON, D ,C.

NITED' STATES CHARLES Bnreos, or oovrneron, KENTUCKY.

IMPROVEMENT m HORSESHOE-MACHINES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 179,997, dated-July 18,1876; application filed June 2, 1876.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, CHARLES BRIG-GS, ofOovington, in the county of Kenton and State of Kentucky, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Horseshoe-lV'Iaehines, of whichthe following is a specification:

My invention relates to anew method of making blanks and bending thesame into horseshoes.

The object of my invention is, first, t0 flatten, concave, crease, andpunch nail-holes in a bar or blank, of a length snfficient for the shoe,by passing the same between shapingrollers; second, to rapidly bend thesaid blank by antomatic'means into a'horseshoe. The third object is toperform both operations of shaping and bending by only one heating ofthe iron or bar out of which the blank.and shoe is made, all beingcheaper and better than the operation by machines now in use.

My invention consists, first, in arranging rollers to shape a bar into ahorseshoe blank by passing the bar sidewise between two rollers ofsuitable configuration to form the blank ready for bending.

The second part of my invention consists in arranging one or more maleand female dies to take the blank as it leaves the shapingrollers, andcarry it between two bendingrollers, to bend and finish the shoes in thedies.

Each of these two parts of my invention is accompanied by minor details,which will be fully understood by reference to the drawings anddescription thereof.

The'details of my invention may be variously modified by mechanics ofskill, and still retain either one or both of the two leading features,which I prefer to use in combination.

Figure l is a perspective view of my improvement. Fig. 2 is a verticalcentral section ofthe rollers, taken longitudinally through their axes;Fig. 3, an end view of the parts shown in Fig. 2; Fig. 4, plan of thecam for operating the bar in the lower roller; Fig. 5, a side elevationof a part of the bending mechanism; Fig. 6, a perspective view of thebar swaged by the rollers; Fig. 7 a perspective of the shoe made by themachine; and Fig. 8, a front perspective view of the finishing andbending mechanism.

A represents the base or bed frame of the machine; a a, standards forsupporting the bed-frame; av, cross-sill for supporting the frame-workof the front end of my machine;

the rollers. These parts may be of iron, and should be of-sulficientstrength to withstand the strain of the machine.

0 D represent the rollers, which, by compression, shape the blanks readyfor bending and finishing, and are of suflicient length to receive anydesired size of blank sidewise. One of these rollers is provided withfour sets of shaping-ribs or tongues, and the opposite roller with asimilar number of grooves, the

the blank compressed by the rollers. Any desired number of ribs andcorresponding grooves may be employed. These rollers O and D are mountedon shafts and hung in adjustable bearings properly affixed in the slotsof the standards B. The drawings show the preferred plan of constructingand arranging the several parts of the machine.

is a segment of the circle of the roller to which it is affixed, and thesides of which are flaring,

ing mortise or groove cut longitudinally in the outer face of roller 0,as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the bars 0 being introduced and re movedendwise, and may be further secured by keys or set-screws.

correspond with the bar 0, and fit in corre sponding grooves in rollers9 represents slots cut in the circular face of bars (1, and t representsa series of teats for punching holes in the blank projecting from acreasing-rib (denoted by Fig. 2) in the bottom faces of the slots g, atappropriate places for forming creases and nail-holes in the blank forthe horseshoe; but it is obvious that the creasing, punching, orconcaving devices might be omitted, and those parts of the operationperformed in the bending devices, but it would be an inferiormodification. of the slot g should correspond to that of the blank 12,(shown inFig. 6,) narrow at the ends and wider at the center, such partfrom the center outward being the counterpart of the other.

0 represents a tongue or rib formed on the FIG 13 B, slotted standardsor posts for sustaining configuration of which determines the shape of 0represents .a steel bar, one face of which forming a dovetail, fittinginto a correspond (1 represents steel bars, whose exterior faces Thewidth ircnlar face of bar 0, the bottom face of vhich is deeper at thecenter and less at the aids, to flatten the blank in the center and carethe ends thicker, as shown by the blank, Fig. 6, the thickness of theblank at any )oint being determined by the amount of proection on theface of rib c, opposite thereof.

'5 represents a convex rib projecting from the surface of bar 0 and ribc, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, to make the upper and inner face of theshoe of aconcave shape. The amount of concavity will be varied accordingto the shape and depth of rib i.

I prefer to flatten, concave, crease, punch the holes, and so shape theblank that after it passes to the bending mechanism little or no shapingis required by the finishing-dies. c 0 represent liftingbars lying inslots placed in, an axial plane of rollers 1), and vertically under theslots 9.

The preferred plan of constructing these slots is by making circularholes E, and fitting into them a steel rod or shaft having a rectangularslot, E, of about twice the depth of the lifting-bar c. 4 representspins inserted into bar 0, the ends of pins 4 passing through holes inrollerD provided therefor. F represents cams placed on the shaft at each,end of roller (1; f, the can'iway. The end of bar 0 projects intogroove 11, so as to work in the cam, and so that as'the rollers revolvethe bar 0 has an intermittent rising and falling motion. The ends of thebar, passing up into slot 9, force out the blank I) compressed therein.The cam F is adjusted so as to discharge the blank I) on the table T, aseach one of the four series of lifting-bars successively operated by itarrive at that point. G represents a feeding-table, each end of which isprovided with a slot, through which passes a clampingbar, h. L Irepresent two series of revolving cams working on the shaft of roller1); J, a shaft having a slot equal in length to that in the end of tableT, to give shaft J the requisite throw on the roller-shaft, and to whichthe feeding-bar h is fastened, and is provided with pins l Z, which bearagainst the series of cams.

Fig. 1. shows the mechanism at one end'of the machine. The opposite endhas the counterpart thereof. The cams l are so constructed and adjustedthat thefeeding-barhis raised so as to admit of the blank to be placedlengthwise between the roller D, one edge being sidewise to the rollers,and the bar H is carried back by the opposite cam, forcing the barbetween the rollers, the ends being kept parallel, so that the bar isacted upon throughout itsentire length simultaneously by theshaping-rollers.

The parts should be made of metal, as the blank is wrought from heatedbars of iron cut in proper length to form a shoe. An important advantageis derived by this mode of using the rollers G D and their shapingdevices.

The bar is shaped and flattened by spreading the iron, the rollers firstg'asping and compressing one edge, the pressure progress ing throughoutthe whole length simultaneously toward the opposite edge. The length ofthe blank is not materially changed by the operation of flattening theblank.

It is obvious that the roller mechanism can be used alone, and theblanks bent by hand or otherwise.

T represents a feeding-table t, adjustable ends; '0, slots through whichbolts pass for securing parts t. it represents guide-bars, which areautomatically carried under the lower edge of table T, to receive theblank and hold it in position to be'wrought by the bending mechanism. Krepresents a revolving disk, mounted on a shaft revolving in suitablebearings affixed to the frame A, the preferred form of which isshown inFig. l; K, a flange attached to disk- K, uponthe face of which ismounted a series of clamping dies; 1 the male, and m the female, blocks.These dies conversely correspond to the shape of the horseshoe. Diet isattached to the disk K by a dovetail teuon, l, or it may be secured bybelts or set-screws. Die m is rigidly attached to a hinged jaw, M, ofthe shape and form shown in Figs. 1 and 5,and arranged to open and closeautomatically as it revolves, the weight of the shoe or jaw actingalternately upon the pivot-joint, as shown in Fig. 5. 0 represents tramways, on which are mounted reciprocating saddles or carriages P Q, acylinder, and 5 a slotted bracket or hanger, rigidly attached to theinner end thereof. The cylinder (,1 turns in a bearing properly fixed onsaddles P. j

rrepresents shafts, having their axial bearings in cylinders Q, theinner ends of which are forked, and carry rollers 8, the faces of whichare grooved to receive the exterior edges of the blank, and force thebending of the blank in the space or groove between the faces of dies 1and m. Numeral 9 represents a bearing for forked shafts R. 10 representsforked levers bolted in fork R; 12, slots through which shaft 13 passes;11, grooved collars, attaching shafts 13 to slots 12, so as to give theformer a reciprocating motion, causing the vibration of yoke-lever 10.Shafts T have tappet-collars '0 working looselyjth'ereon between'theforks of yokes 10, so that a reciprocating motion will be imparted torollers 8, converse to that of r0llers14 on shaft 13.

W represents a series of cams, mounted on the face of disk K, thevertical faces of which are of the proper shape to cause rollers 8,which receive the blank b, to press and bend the same edgewise aroundthe face of die 1,

and to conform in their reciprocating move ment to the form or contourof the bentshoe.

Rollers 14 we controlled by cams Wfthe motion being transmitted fromcams W to shafts 13, from those to slotted levers 12, and

the opposite forks 1.0 to tappets 1:, operating shafts 1'. As dies l m;move in a circle, the bending must take place in an arc of this circle.It is therefore essential that rollers 8 should move in parallel linesto that plane. This motion is given them as follows: (i'represents aseries of cams made on the exterior of flange K; S, a guide-blockfastened to forkshal't bearing against them; and 7, a series ot'cams onthe interior face of flange K y, a pulley, working on a stud projectingfrom saddle P, pressing against the cams 7, so that as the (lies I m arecarried by disk K, the saddle I, carrying shaft 0" and bending-rollers8, will be moved to and fro always in the plane occupied by the dies lm,moving in their circular path, shaft i being allowed to turn in itshearing, so that the bending-rollers S will always have the groovesopposite the circular groove, between dies 6 and m, where the blank isbent into a horseshoe. X represents a bracket;pp 19 a series of rollerswith the peripheries arranged to come in contact with the exteriorsurface of shoe M. The toe ofshoe M comes in contact with roller 12 atthe moment the blank, which is held by guides a a, is brought intocontact wit-h the dies 1 m. Roller 11 allows the dies to be open, sothat the blank b will readily enter the circular groove formed betweentheir faces. p has its periphery a little closer to the path of die Z,so as to force dies hit a little closer together, 19 being set so as toforce the dies 1 m together, and completing the shaping of the bentshoe. When wise, and shape the same into a blank for a horseshoe,substantially as described.

2. Rollers O 1), adapted to receive a heated bar of iron sidewise, withribs and grooves for shaping the blank ready tor bending, substantiallyas described. 7

3. -ltollers O D, adapted to receive a heated bar of iron flat-wise,with device for flattening, creasing, and concaving the blank as itpasses through the rollers, substantially as described.

4. The feeding mechanism, composed substantially ot' the clamping-bar h,slottedlevers J, and cams I, in combination with rollers U D,substantially as described.

5. The roller D, provided with the discharging mechanism, consisting ofcam F, liftingbars 6, and pins 4, arranged in relation to slot 9,substantially as described.

6. The eombinationot the revolving or shoe diesl m with thebending-rollers 8 8, arranged in relation thereto, substantially asherein set forth.

7. In a horseshoe-machine, a series of revolving dies lm, in combinationwith the bending-rollers 8 8, arranged in relation thereto,substantially as herein set forth.

8. In a horseshoemachine, the combination of the blank -t'ormingmechanism with the bending mechanisn1,su bsta-ntiall y as described.-

9. The bending rollers 8 8, in combination with one or morecompressing-rollers, p, and revolvingdies, substantially as herein setforth.

10. The sharnng-rollers U D, in combination with the automatic bendingdevices, constructed and arranged substantially as herein set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 26th day of May,1876.

I CHARLES BRIGGS.

Witnesses:

' JOHN OGARA,

E. E. W001).

